Cops in Issaquah warn against ‘fugitive’ game

The game is called ‘Fugitive.’ One group of people – typically made up of high school or college kids – gets a head start. The other tries to catch them.

Issaquah police have received several recent calls about the game – and are warning it often leads to illegal activities or danger.

“Our police officers are on high alert for any signs of this game taking place in Issaquah,” Commander Scott Behrbaum said in a statement. “We’re also asking local parents to talk to their teens about the hazards of this game, which can be unsafe for both bystanders and participants.”

Issaquah police have also received several other calls regarding suspected fugitive participants – people in dark clothes running near yards and businesses, or people driving vehicles recklessly at night.

Here’s a confession: My buddies and I played this game in Bellingham several years ago. About a dozen “cops,” traveling in cars with portable radios, tried to catch about a dozen “fugitives,” who were running from the Sehome Haggen grocery store to Boulevard Park.

It was a blast at the time, but being a little wiser and what feels like a lot older, I understand how dangerous it was. We were pretty lucky we didn’t get injured or in serious trouble.

One time a buddy and I were running to tag what we thought was another friend playing the game as a fugitive. Turns out it was just a guy walking down the street.

We apologized as though we were in confession, but the guy was obviously freaked out by having college kids run up to him in dark clothes. I still feel bad about it.

In Issaquah, police say a girl reported she was hit with a dart from a blow gun while walking with friends last week near the 1600 block of Northwest Gilman Boulevard.

The dart punctured the skin on her back. Police have no leads.

My buddies and I were never stupid enough to use a dart gun. But police say some people play by different rules, and the game can easily get out of hand.

Here’s hoping people realize the dangers of the game before it’s too late.